Amid Ukraine crisis, India does well to deepen ties with Australia and Japan, draw red lines vis a vis Beijing

News: The Chinese Foreign Minister attacked QUAD members.

He mentioned that “No country should pursue its so-called absolute security at the expense of other countries’ security”.

He stated this in wake of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narender Modi’s summit-level meetings with the prime ministers of Japan and Australia. 

Accusation made by China on the west 

China referred to the present situation in Ukraine and claimed that the present situation is the result of “the  NATO strategy of eastward expansion”.

In fact, China has caused several provocations in the Indo-Pacific.  

Why the accusations of China are wrong?  

In reality, China has itself become assertive in the Indo-Pacific region. It is asserting at the “expense of other countries’ security”.  

The US forces and its allies have been present in the Indo-Pacific region since the end of the Second World War.  

Moreover, the Quad is not a military alliance. It is not like NATO. In fact, It is a response to assertive nature of China in the Indo-Pacific region. For example, China is occupying islands and trying to control sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific. It is also carrying out activities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India.  

Both, China and Russia have entered into a “no-limits” partnership. They have effectively created an alliance in which they would back each other’s plans in Ukraine and Taiwan. In other words, China is doing what it is accusing the West in the Indo-Pacific.  

What is the way forward?

Both India and Japan have rightly deepened their bilateral economic cooperation and strategic convergence. For example, Japan will invest about $4.2 billion over five years 

Australia is likely to unveil new projects and investments in India. 

India should hold diplomatic engagements with Beijing. In fact, India has stated its stand that the Chinese activities on its borders or in the Indo-Pacific thwarts the smoothening of India-China relationship.  

Source: This post is based on an article “Amid Ukraine Crisis, India does well to deepen ties with Australia and Japan, draw red lines vis a vis Beijing” published in the Indian Express on 22nd March 22